Winter Chills
by PALC
Summary: Naruto drives out into a potential snowstorm. A stranger wandering the forest meets our blonde on the way. Fluff that is sweet yet minty. Did he mention it was cold as balls out? NarutoXSasuke Yaoi
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Naruto drives out to pick up his ex-girlfriend Sakura, who called saying she needed a ride down from her boyfriend's vacation home. What she didn't say was she was up there with Itachi Uchiha, she also didn't mention any strangers wandering the forest.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto... or Honda motors.

Winter Chills

Naruto shivered, trying to warm up his arms and keep at least one hand on the steering wheel. He banged on his vents in the car, cursing the fact he didn't get them fixed before winter came. Iruka had warned him about the impending snow that would fall soon but did Naruto get his lazy ass up off the couch?

He sighed, another shiver seizing him and he snuggled deeper into the thickest jacket he could find in his closet. The leather jacket provided little warmth it seemed, and he hoped he didn't freeze to death on his way up the mountains.

Sakura had vacationed up in the mountains with her boyfriend. He could faintly remember her saying something about his family owning some big business in Japan but he hadn't really cared at the time. They'd picked the comfy cabin up in Blue Ridge. Sakura'd been vacationing ever since she was little, this time though she'd not gone with her own fairly wealthy family but stayed with this man. It hadn't been five days in yet and she was already calling for him to pick her up.

Naruto snorted. She never could stick to one man. He could remember that one time in high school she had finally given in to his pleas and went out with him. It hadn't taken but a week to decide she wasn't the girl for him.

After that they seemed to morph into the best of friends, and somehow Naruto had ended up the big brother she never had. He smiled, but that was all ruined when he hit a bump in the road. Looking in his mirror he could see it had been a hidden tree branch, barely noticeable in the quickly piling snow.

He was glad for once he'd taken precautions and drove the pickup. He couldn't image getting through these roads in his little Honda.

Suddenly he could see something in the distance, preferably some_one_.

He watched the figure trudging through the snow, going the same direction he was traveling and thought he could use some company in this dreary snow caked wilderness. He put on his best smile as he slowed to keep pace with his walking companion. He reached over to roll down the passenger window just a bit and questioned the mysterious figure.

"Hey man, I noticed you're going the same direction I am, wanna hitch a ride?"

The person started walking a bit faster and Naruto was a bit startled.

"Hey man! I'm talking to you! We're going the same way and I'd really appreciate some company!"

He watched the body turn and in that instant regretted he was such a kind soul. Kind enough to offer ungrateful assholes rides up a snowy mountain side!

Dark piercing eyes glared back at him from a covered mop of black hair, hidden mostly by the heavy jacket he was wearing. His pale face reminded him of the pure white snow surrounding them and Naruto almost rolled his eyes at his comparison.

"Do you always offer complete strangers rides through nearly uninhabited snowy mountain tops?"

The slightly deep voice made Naruto shudder, something he was content on blaming on the cold.

"No. This is the first time I've ever done this actually."

The man snorted and shifted in his jacket. Although way better than Naruto's it didn't seem to keep the biting frost out either.

"What? Ignored any and all common sense and offered assistance to a possible murder out in the middle of nowhere? Yeah, can't say I've ever done that either."

Naruto's face looked angry and the stranger looked satisfied to say the least.

"Look, I was just trying to be nice okay! Have some faith in people!"

This time the black haired male barked a cruel laugh, "Faith? I lost faith in all humanity long ago."

Naruto's face fell in his palm, foot having gone numb on the brake. Naruto jumped suddenly digging in his pocket for something. He pulled out a leather pouch, his wallet, and shoved it against the glass of his window.

The man gave it a blank look, "Why are you showing me your driver's license? Proof you're _not_ a moron and were somehow given permission to drive a moving vehicle? Really now."

Naruto had just about had it with this guy, "Listen, now you know who I am, do you want a ride you-"

"Sasuke Uchiha."

The blond stopped mid-rant, "I was going to say 'insensitive son of a bitch' but that works too I guess."

The proclaimed Uchiha shrugged and shouldered something and for the first time Naruto realized it was a bag. A really big bag.

"What is that? A body bag?"

Naruto had only been joking but the man was really defensive all of a sudden.

"No. But we could change that."

The blond shook his head, mildly disturbed by the answer, "Never mind that. You can either get in this truck and possibly survive the journey to wherever you're headed or you can freeze to death in the forest. It's your choice."

The Uchiha faced forward once more.

"I'll take my chances out here then."

Naruto couldn't believe this guy. Why was he being so unreasonable?

"Sasuke!"

"I thought you said I had a choice? And faith? How about you have some faith I can make it on my own!"

Naruto moved his hand on the steering wheel, wincing as the flesh seemed to peel off the cold object. Damn was it cold in here, he couldn't even imagine the temperature outside. This Uchiha guy either had a huge ego and more pride than a gay parade or he was one of the few he'd met that were comfortable in arctic weather.

Sasuke rubbed his arms subtly, trying to bring some kind of warmth to his icy flesh. Naruto couldn't help but crack a wry grin. The bastard may act like it but he was freezing as well.

"Would you just pull that ice stick out your ass already and climb inside? I'm freezing my ass off in here and it's got to be worse outside the truck. There's no way I'm leaving anyone out in this weather if I can help it so just get in."

For a moment nothing happened, nothing moved except the snow falling outside from the sky. He watched the pale face change to something contemplating.

Then, after seconds in which Naruto noticed he'd been holding his breath, the man turned and motioned to get in.

Naruto exhaled heavily, seeing the air form into something smoky-like. From the mirror he saw Sasuke toss whatever he'd been hauling into the bed of the truck and open the passenger door. The man stood by it, still looking reluctant to climb inside.

"Come on already! I'm not going to bite, the only thing going to bite you is the cold as it seeps into your dead body by the side of the road! Now get in, you're getting snow on the seat!"

The blond almost thought he saw a ghost of a smile on Sasuke's face.

Sasuke got in and buckled his seat belt; Naruto raised a brow and looked at his own unused safety restraint.

"I wasn't kidding earlier. How _did_ a moron like you get a license?"

Naruto could at last release his aching foot off the brake, curling and uncurling his toes to get some feeling back in them. He didn't quite like his guest poking fun at him.

"Shut up, bastard."

KOXKOXKOXKOXKOX

And things only escalate from here. Well, how do you like it? Bad, good? Good enough for a review maybe? ^_^


	2. Chapter 2

Sasuke stared and frankly Naruto found it very uncomfortable. What had possessed him to nearly threaten the bastard to get in his truck again?

"You don't have heat?!"

Ah. Naruto remembered. Company. Now looking back on it, the quiet had been much easier to deal with.

"No. I don't have heat, asshole. And unless you can produce some from those glares you keep giving me, I don't want to hear it!"

Sasuke sent him the aforementioned glare and Naruto pointed, "Like that one!"

The guy must have been bred to send people dirty looks, because since he'd picked him up it seems that's all he'd received. They had been on the road together for little over 10 minutes, 20 tops, and already the bastard was beginning to grate on his nerves. Usually Naruto was good with difficult people but Sasuke was pushing it.

"What kind of moron wonders around in this weather with no heat in their car?" Sasuke asked out loud.

Naruto just wanted off this topic and bit his lip, retorting angrily, "What kind of moron wonders around in this weather without a _car_?"

Sasuke huffed, "I would have been fine I'll have you know."

This man loved denial Naruto decided. It didn't help he could be counted a social retard. The blond gripped the wheel tighter; he had the worst luck sometimes.

Naruto searched the wilderness looking off into mountains, trees, sticks, getting bored rather quickly of the never ending scenery. The snow was getting higher, nearly a foot or so and he hadn't the slightest clue how much farther away the stupid cabin was. The only thing getting him through all the dullness was hoping the bastards' stop was somewhere nearby. He'd done his good deed for the day, and Naruto promised he'd never try to pick up another stranger beside the road ever again.

Quickly sneaking a peek over to his passenger he saw he was staring out the window, breath leaving a thin fog on the glass. Where ever he was going it had to be pretty far because there were no stops for nearly 60 mile. And just how long would that have taken him on foot? Forever.

"Are you suicidal?"

Sasuke looked over at the question; a little offended Naruto would even ask that.

"If you are attempting to guess at my homicidal tendencies then by all means yes." He growled.

Naruto growled back, "Just answer the question!"

Sasuke looked about to argue but just muttered an irritated, "No."

Naruto's foot pressed a little harder on the gas then he meant to as he waved his hand in the air to prove his point, "Then what on earth made you think you could make it on foot in this snow?!"

The stranger had looked away, brooding silently again. The blond didn't really expect an answer after his outburst, though he very much would like one. He was giving the guy a ride so didn't he deserve to know why?

"I'm looking for someone."

Naruto raised a brow, not looking away from the road but trusting the man saw his surprised reaction.

"You do know there's no such thing as the abominable snowman right?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes though the blond didn't see it, he sank down against the seat, trying to conserve as much body heat as possible and started rather exasperatedly, "Yes, idiot. I'm looking for an actual person though, I got a tip from a source of mine and he dropped me off a while back."

Naruto did turn to look at him this time, keeping a steady hand on the wheel. Source?

"Why on earth didn't he just take you there? And couldn't you have, say, brought some better transportation with you than your legs?"

The man rubbed at his arms again. Was it just Naruto or was Sasuke looking paler than before?

Sasuke grumbled unhappily looking into the landscape for something, anything to distract him from the dreary continuous canvas of tree and snow, "You tell me. Kakashi really is unpredictable along with being a real pain in the ass. Leaving me out here with his dumb useless excuses."

His voice was a mere mumble, talking to himself more than the blonde and Naruto switched his gaze back to the road.

"So you just started walking?"

Sasuke sighed, "I'd already made it this far and being so close I couldn't just give up." The dark eyes examined the blond focused on the road; he was decent company, when they weren't at each others necks he guessed.

Naruto suddenly spoke up, face lighting up at his next words, "Well I'm out here to save this girl, Sakura, from her evil boyfriend."

Sasuke gave him a dry look, "You her knight in shining armor or something?"

The blond smiled, putting on a brave face, "Yes, I'm her amazingly _attractive_ savior! Come to cast away the evil dragon and all who oppose me!"

Sasuke snorted, "Amazingly desperate maybe. Let me guess… She hates you, doesn't she?"

The blond frowned, clearly insulted, "Sakura and me are best friends, more like sister and brother now."

'Sakura and I' Sasuke wanted to correct him.

"Her and her boyfriend decided to vacation in a cabin near, well somewhere around here."

Sasuke froze although the blond didn't notice, caught up in his rant.

"I know that stupid cabin is close though, it has to be around here somewhere! And her boyfriend! I knew he was no good when she told me he was from some stuck-up rich family. All those rich kids think they can get whatever they want because they have money! You can't buy love though-"

"You're wrong."

Sasuke's cold voice cut through his tirade, effectively stopping him even though the words had been quiet as the snow around them.

The engine was the only sign of life and Naruto couldn't believe the man sitting next to him. He hit the brake and put it in park.

"I'm wrong about how you can't buy_ love_? You motherfu-"

Sasuke watched the snow fall from the window not bothering to glance at the currently seething driver, "I meant that not all rich kids are like that. Some of us are just like normal people, some just want be normal people and-"

Naruto interrupted, having not missed an important piece from his declaration, "Us? You mean you-"

The man smiled a bit, "Yes dobe. I am technically a rich kid."

The blond couldn't believe it and gaped, stating accusingly, "Then you definitely have no excuse for not having a car!"

Sasuke's half-smile melted off his face instantly, replaced by a frown, "I was kicked out when I was fifteen, moron. The only money I have is for my college education, any thing else I make is from my job and goes to help pay rent."

Naruto grinned, now they were getting somewhere.

"So you're not _really_ a rich kid then."

Sasuke nodded, "But I grew up as one. I know what it's like and experiencing is way different then assuming. You think we're all alike but we're not. Some, yes, I will admit are like you describe but don't group people like me in with those disgusting excuses for respectable human beings."

Naruto cocked his head to the side, getting more interested in the conversation by the second, "So you're a normal bastard? Not one of those uptight prissy rich punks."

His company laughed a little, "You could say that."

The blonde's voice was still skeptical as he asked his next question, "And you DON'T think people can buy love?"

Sasuke returned to looking out the window, still cold and cuddling against the seat as he responded softly, "No dobe. You have to earn something that special."


	3. Chapter 3

"You got a problem, asshole?"

No response.

"Look, keeping yourself holed up in that corner is only going to make the window jealous of that ice-cold complexion of yours."

Was the bastard even breathing? He'd been awfully silent, like silent as in Naruto had managed to forget a handful of times he was still in someone else's company. Silent he was starting to doubt there had ever been a person with him in the truck in the first place. Silent he'd developed some rare case of snow sickness you got from staring at too much white, symptoms included hallucinations of bastardly apparitions.

A quick check out his peripheral proved the man was still there though- apparition or not.

"Hey bastard—are even you listening?"

Still nothing. Naruto rolled his eyes as he slowed to a stop, at this rate they would never make it to their respective destinations. Not if Naruto had to keep stopping for Sasuke all the time.

He stalled a second to admire the snowflakes which were increasingly getting bigger and absentmindedly wished he could catch some reception up here. No radio had sucked ass big time- it would have kept him occupied when bastards like this decided to stubbornly ignore him.

He cupped his hands around his mouth and tried to warm them up. God he was stupid- stupid and scatterbrained. Where the hell was that awful _checkered_ set of gloves that Granny had given him for Christmas last year?

Somewhere in the back of his closet of course, buried underneath mountains of clutter and junk. For once he wished he had the foresight to plan ahead, those knitted gloves would have been greatly appreciated at the moment.

Behind the gloves Naruto had stashed those special-edition Icha Icha novels the pervert had been so kind as to gift him on his birthday. Jiraiya got a great kick out of seeing the blonde flush straight to his ears every year, and despite Naruto knowing what was coming beforehand he never failed to blush every time. Wait- why was he remembering this now?

The snow was reaching nearly three foot and Naruto was almost reluctant to go on. He didn't have any chains and his tires certainly weren't manufactured for this kind of abuse...

He had _promised _Sakura he would come to get her though. And he'd damn well make it or he wasn't Uzumaki Naruto!

Now that he could successfully feel the pain in his hands he knew they were no longer numb from overexposure to the wheel. He turned his attention to Sasuke, rubbing them together to create some heat and trying to dispel the pins and needles.

This rescue mission wasn't the only thing he was starting to have second thoughts about… This man was still a stranger- no matter what Naruto felt about him now.

He was uncomfortably reminded of the 'body bag' in the bed of his truck.

With that in mind he carefully laid a hand on the bastard's shoulder, frowning when Sasuke's head immediately fell limp against the window of the door he'd been leaning against.

"Hey-!"

Sasuke was out cold.

Shit, shit, shit-! He _had _noticed the raven gradually becoming paler and paler but how was he to know it just wasn't a normal bastardly function? I mean, sure people got paler as they lost body heat but really…

Yeah- okay. He was moron.

Damn. He tried to calm himself down, telling himself this was in no way his fault and blaming himself would not wake the bastard up. It wouldn't have made a difference if Naruto had fixed the heat in his car. No-not at all. _So_ _why did he feel like such an ass?_ It did comfort him slightly to think if the bastard had frozen himself in his truck, he certainly wouldn't have fared any better outside along the road.

Something told him Sasuke was stubborn like that- stubborn like him. That he might have trudged on through the snow if not for the blonde. But something also told him the bastard was too smart to let stubbornness guide his actions recklessly (_unlike Naruto_) and had sensibly (if not extremely reluctantly) agreed he couldn't make it to where he was headed by himself.

Now Sasuke had to go and pull this shit. Why hadn't he said something earlier? Naruto was JUST as cold as he was; they were both in the same boat here! Or truck in this case.

The blonde laid his hand against the pale cheek as a test and flinched. Uh. Okay. Maybe the bastard _wasn't_ as cold as him. He was COLDER. Naruto had always been an abnormally hot person (he _was_ sexy if he did so say himself) but it seemed this bastard was frozen all the way to his heart, ice replacing blood.

Alright- stay calm! Breathe. He wouldn't be able to help Sasuke if he didn't keep a level head. He needed to concentrate. In this kind of situation Naruto only had a few available options he knew of.

Either he could let Sasuke freeze to death…. His mind helpfully reminded him of the 'body bag' in the bed once more…

Or he could take it like a man and share his body heat to warm him up.

Naruto didn't hesitate to peel Sasuke away from the door frame, shuffling him across the seat to clumsily settle him by his side. If he'd thought the bastard made him uncomfortable beforehand, now things were just plain awkward.

Naruto exhaled slowly. Okay Uzumaki, you can do this! Just pretend he's Sakura… or Hinata. That might have helped more if the blonde hadn't been acutely aware of the masculine frame he was gripping. Kiba- _Kiba then!_

Somehow, after much mental encouragement, he managed to find a comfortable position where he could hold an unconscious Sasuke and still operate his vehicle.

Naruto got back to driving after that, content concentrating on anything but the bastard he was clutching like a wounded friend. He didn't want to think about the asshole possibly dying because he hadn't known him nearly long enough yet. He didn't want to think about why he cared so much, about _why (_for some reason) he enjoyed holding the man in such a dire situation.

Naruto immediately squashed those thoughts.

Naruto found he didn't handle death well. He could acutely remember the day when the old man had kicked the bucket. Sarutobi had been positively ancient by then but it had taken the blonde months to fully accept it as natural instead of cruel.

Naruto was a passionate person; he saw the world through his emotions and as such saw it as perfectly normal to worry over another's life. Even if they did happen to be a stranger.

But even he knew this went a bit farther than worry.

_Was it possible to become attached to someone you'd just met?_

His left hand steered the wheel as his right curled around Sasuke's waist, letting the bastard lean into his side but not so much he was practically in his lap. (He didn't want to make this anymore awkward than it already was.) If the bastard's skin didn't thaw out soon he wasn't sure what he'd do. He was at least reassured Sasuke was alive by the faint breathing he could feel coming from him.

He resisted the urge to look at the face leaning on his shoulder. If the bastard woke up, maybe… just MAYBE he would try being nicer to him.

-))

Sasuke was warm, warmer than he could ever remember being.

He wasn't warm in a physical sense of course, the air was still cold as balls but he was warm in an emotional sense.

Not to say he hadn't heated up a bit though, at least he didn't feel like his veins were turning into ice water anymore.

He'd woken briefly to find himself leaning on someone's shoulder-Naruto of course, a large hand settled comfortably around his waist.

Surprisingly he'd made no effort to remove it.

He could faintly remember drifting in and out as the idiot finally stopped yakking at him, the cold really seeming to seep into his bones as he gallantly fought a few violent shivers. He had apparently lost that battle.

He tried not to sigh-he was an idiot for not coming prepared for this. Maybe he had been a little suicidal. But then again, he hadn't counted on Kakashi ditching him at the last minute either. Ah. _His ever loyal uncle._

So why the hell was he still leaning into the blonde? He was awake now, wasn't he?

Because he was warm, his mind answered. Because Sasuke was comfortable. Because Naruto hadn't noticed he was awake yet and Sasuke was too busy secretly enjoying the faces the blonde was making as he drove. He was too cute when he was worried, straining his brain trying to think of what to do to help.

Way too soon if felt like Sasuke needed to shift, his arm was starting to fall asleep and all he really wanted to do was huddle closer to the heat Naruto was giving off in what felt waves. Was the blonde that warm- or was Sasuke just that cold?

He really shouldn't get any closer to the moron then he already was but he couldn't give a fuck at the moment. Maybe if he'd been more coherent he would have found it a bad idea but right now all his attention was devoted to the heat emanating from the blonde like an oven.

He moved then, stretching since he deciding he didn't want to know whether his arm could fall off from loss of circulation. He shuffled closer into the dobe, not really caring what the blonde would do and dammit it all to hell but he was still freezing.

He knew Naruto had most likely saved him- he would have frozen solid cuddling that door any longer. But why did he help him anyway-? He'd only known Sasuke for less than an hour!

In the end Sasuke determined it didn't matter why the blonde did it, just that he did.

Sasuke sighed. _Warmth._

He would think about everything else when he woke up again._  
_

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Wow. About damn time I updated this. I got a review recently and I looked at the last time I updated and was like... Daaaaymn. I need to put the next chapter out. Che- that is if someone's still reading this. -winks- I don't blame ya one bit! But if you do happen to be reading this, leave me a memento so I won't be so lazy next time round? XD


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